


Stress.

by Coreword-Clumsy (perrythedeer), perrythedeer



Category: Anime Campaign! (Web Series), Epithet Erased (Cartoon)
Genre: Comfort, I love Noah so much why is this her first fic, Overworking, Panic Attacks, Sensory Deprivation, Stress, appreciate her!!, the Newsies mean everything to me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23079832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perrythedeer/pseuds/Coreword-Clumsy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/perrythedeer/pseuds/perrythedeer
Summary: Noah overworks herself and ends up understimulated and panicky, so this happens!! Im not projecting what do u mean
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Pace around the office, moments passing by, how many? She can't tell, dig through her files, fifth time in the past thirty minutes, too much going on, to little going on, interviews, reports, reviews, editing, people to deal with, stuff to catch up on, pace around the office, the time is ticking by, her chest is closing up.

Pace around the office, hours passing by. Minutes? seconds? she can't tell, she can't breathe, she's chewing on her necklace, it's not helping, it's not enough, turn on her music on her phone, it's not enough, sit in the chair, write, write, write- draw, draw _write draw write rinse repeat repeat repeat-_

Repeat, keep pacing, stand up, sit down, work, finish a report, everything is blank, she can't think, it's too much, it's not _enough_ , her coworkers typing away, too many clicking sounds, too little talking, the breathing, the heat of the room, it's too much, she unbuttons her shirt. She has to breathe has to focus has to work work _work work_

Sitting in chair, writing, writing, writing, tapping foot, writing, tapping, writing, clicking pen, can't see, can't think, boss checking on her, she's fine, boss leaving, chest closing up, double over, hyperventilating, hyperventilating, in and out, one two three, _one two three, one two three-_

Can't work, can't breathe, can't move, pacing, can't stop pacing, can't stop moving, not getting work done, useless child, won't have enough done, can't think, can't get this done, hands shaking, hands going through her hair, take out the ponytails put them back in put them out put them in focus focus focus focus focus

Stop focusing on focusing, stare at paper, words wont go through, water droplets landing on the page, messing up the pencil scribbles she made, messing it up, spilling everyone, hands shaking, grab drink, ruin report, mess up again, more water droplets. Where are they coming from?

Theyre coming from her, she cant move suddenly, her chest is closed up, shes shaking, one little mistake, clumsy, ruined one thing, got five things done but ruined one, one is worth five, they have to reprint it for her, waste of time, third time this week, push away from desk, pace, pace, pace pace pace turn the lights on and off again focus focus try to focus

Hands on face, in hair, dragging through, pulling, yanking, its too much, its not _enough_ , arms wrapped around her. Arms wrapped around her? Boss? her dad- boss, whatever, break time, its break time, she still cant breathe, shes being led away from her office, she has to work- why is she going to the break room? 

Sitting down, coffee in hand, weighted blanket around her, music playing, she still cant breathe, focus, shes crying. Its okay. itll wear off, she'll be fine, is her boss wandering around the room? right, act better infront of him, breathe, deep breaths, focus, focus focus focus- her job is calming down now, shes got to calm down. this is temporary. It would be fine.


	2. Stan care her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really care about the Newsies being found family ok?

He didn't like seeing Noah like that. The way Noah would continously go around her office, the obvious anxiety starting to burst from her, snatching away her regularly bubbly attitude. You could almost see the tension sparking off of her like a balloon about to pop, and she would cry and click things and pace and mess up her hair and if it was bad enough her 'flimsiness' would act up. Losing a report was bad, but they had three people working on one at all times, so it didn't matter _too_ much to him. 

He tried to check on her, but she would naturally shift so quickly to the brightest- fakest smile he'd ever seen. Noah was good at that, Stan knew why, her parents put a lot on her, that's why he hired her in the first place- nobody else would, and he knew her from multiple resumes and interviews- she was well known as a hard worker- but clumsy. Fired from a lot of places for her inability to fully function under stress- breaking things on accident and starting to freak out. He hired her because she was trying so hard- and honestly what could you mess up as a News Reporter? 

Apparently a lot. Since he legally couldn't pay her- and was _supposed_ to fire her. But that was stupid. People couldn't learn unless they had experience.

"Noah? Is everything okay kid?" 

He peeked into the room while she was in her chair, he could hear her pen clicking, see her frantic writing that was definitely going to be chicken scratch later. Her chest rising and falling more rapidly than normal and the jump when he spoke. The smile that broke out on her face was strained, her eyes wide and scared- he wasn't sure why, he wasn't going to get angry at her for freaking out.

"I'm fine boss!" 

Stan didn't believe it, but he didn't want to pry yet. His rule was that he wouldn't intercept unless she was disturbing other office members- he had to keep up a strong boss look, even if everyone was aware by now that he could be kind of a softy when it came to Noah and Rick. He nodded and left the room, almost immediately hearing the creaking of a chair and the telltale sound of her hyperventilation. She'd calm down on her own, he was sure. Noah always had a knack for bringing herself down and working twice as hard to make up for it. He waited for a little while, wandering the halls and checking in on other employees- he knew their names, faces, and he cared for them, most were young adults, and that fact had a way of wiggling into his heart.

He felt a bit like he had to protect them and get them used to the horrors of the world- easiest way to do that was report it from within the safety of the news building.

It took a while, but he heard a scream from Noah's office, and flinched- yea that would.. get her yelled at later. So he went back to her cubicle to find her standing stiff in the middle of the room, her hands buried in her hair and dragging down her face- that would definitely leave marks. Right, okay, survey the room- she spilled something across her desk, she was crying... yeah, yea that adds up.

Stan carefully stepped forward as to not scare her- and moved his arms around her- touch was comforting to the girl, or maybe that was Rick? One of the two, but the way she leaned towards him was answering that question quickly. "I think... you need a little break, okay Noah?" he spoke softly, and she gave a tiny nod- which he took as a full 'ok.'

So he pulled away and took her hand in his, starting to gently tug and pull her along until he could get her into the break room. He sat her on the couch and worked on making her coffee and getting the blanket in the back- he had a knack for hiring people with sensory problems. Nobody else would take them from what he saw- it was annoying. These people needed jobs too.

Stan slipped a coffee cup into her shaking hand and moved the weighted blanket so it was draped around her shoulders, and he sat next to her and began writing absentmindedly about a tip he'd gotten from Dixon a little while back. 

"Boss?" the voice scared him a little, it'd been almost thirty minutes, and Noah was coming back down finally, wiping at her eyes and face with one arm, putting the coffee on the table with her other hand- it was cooler now, to no ones surprise. "Are you alright Finway?" 

Noah blinked, and gave a little nod, pulling her little bumblebee necklace up to her lips and starting to chew on it. He probably needed to get her a new one soon- it was getting worn quickly. The nod grew, and Stan jabbed her lightly with his elbow before she could begin trying to act okay enough to go back into work. "You have time to finish the reports- we don't have to publish this one until next week, and you don't do last minute additions." She nodded again, a little huff of air coming from her.

"Right. It.. it was just, too quiet. I wasn't worried about the report." Stan hummed a little, trying to remember if he'd told her off for having music out before, well- even if he hadn't "Listen to music next time, the loud stuff that younger kids like, makes your ears hurt." Noah snickered a little, and Stan gave a little smile "Ask Rick for some music, I hear him rocking out up there a lot- I've had to interrupt him too many times to count"

She was laughing under her breath now. That was reassuring. Stan lightly pat her shoulder, and Noah seemed to instinctively lean into him, right, she does this. He rolled his eyes a little, letting her stay and going back to writing. She'd just end up working a bit of overtime- she normally did that anyway.


	3. Rick joins them

Rick had heard the things going on downstairs- the scream was really telling! And he recognized it immediately- of course he did, that was Noah! He ignored it for a little while, finishing his work up as much as he could- he had break soon anyways, lunch was starting to roll around. Rick finished his horoscopes, looking over them one more time- those would be publicable. He already had them set up for almost three weeks ahead of time, if he needed to do edits he could.

With that, he jumped out of his seat and started to run through the building, flicking his light off in the process. He really really wanted to make sure Noah was okay- so first he checked in her office, where he found spilled coffee, and ruined papers. That wasn't... great!

Rick simply walked over and began to clean it up, looking at the papers and carefully writing down what he could make out on another piece of paper, setting it on Noahs laptop so it wouldn't get messed up while he cleaned. When he was done- the room was spiffy and nice, all the papers gone, and he even sprayed it so the gross scent of coffee was gone! Easy to handle.

And off he went, eventually wandering into the break room and seeing Noah on the couch with Stan, "Stan! Noah! What happened!" Ricks voice was cheerful as he slid onto the couch next to them, swinging an arm around Stans shoulders. Noah snickered when their boss stiffened and rolled his eyes.

"Rick." He stuck his tongue out, and leaned over Stan to examine Noah "You okay friend?" Noah nodded a bit, reaching out towards him to grab onto his scarf gently. Rick just smiled brightly, falling purposely so he was across their laps. Stan made a vague annoyed noise, flicking Ricks head and flinching away when his finger touched the red part. "Ugh... I forgot you're poisonous." 

He snorted and gave a little laugh, rolling onto his back on their laps and grinning up at them "Hell yeah i am!" Noah stared at him, rolling her eyes lightly. "You gonna be alright Boss?" she hummed, elbowing Stan gently, and he just sighed and gave a little smile...

Rick pumped his fists in the air excitedly "I made him laugh!" Noah broke out into laughter, gently moving her friends fists down, while Stan just rolled his eyes and pat Ricks stomach. "Why did I hire you two?" he joked, and Noah made a quiet offended gasp, while Rick just blew a raspberry "You. love. us~!!" he hummed, and Stan sighed lightly, shrugging a bit, that was a 'yes' to these two, so both Noah and Rick grinned playfully. 

"Are you doing better friend Noah?" Rick asked after a moment of silence, and Stan blinked, nodding at the question, he wanted to know too. Noah just blinked, thinking for a second... "I think i'm still a little shaky, but i'm okay mentally now. I can go back to-" "No." Stan answered that as simply as he could, going back to writing in his notes, and Noah made an annoyed noise. "Okay, I should atleast clean up-" 

"Already done!" Rick poked Noahs nose, and she sighed and rolled her eyes, of course. "Right, okay Rick, I see it's dork o'clock" Stan seemed to think for a minute, before- "No. I believe it's family o'clock."

It took the two of them a second, but Rick shot up to be sitting, wrapping his arms around Stan excitedly and 'awh'ing loudly. Noah laughed happily, leaning more against Stan. "That's so cute. I love that." Stan looked away a little, rolling his eyes. He loved these kids, even if they were kind of stupid sometimes.


End file.
